Vote delayed on Escondido ballpark proposal

The Escondido City Council, the makeup of which is still in doubt two weeks after the election, will not decide until Dec. 15 whether to build a $50 million minor-league ballpark to house the Padres Triple-A franchise.

The vote was originally scheduled for Nov. 30, but Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler announced at the City Council meeting Wednesday night that it has been delayed.

On Dec. 1, a new council will be seated. Councilman Dick Daniels, a ballpark supporter, lost his bid to become mayor when he was defeated by Councilman Sam Abed on Nov. 2 and will be off the council next month.

Pfeiler, also a ballpark proponent, chose to run for one of two open council seats rather than for mayor. She appeared to have been narrowly beaten by former Councilman Ed Gallo, who criticized the ballpark proposal during the campaign.

However, the election is not official. The Registrar of Voters Office is still counting absentee and provisional ballots.

As of Wednesday night, Pfeiler had pulled to within 33 votes of Gallo. Gallo had 9,828 votes to Pfeiler’s 9,795. It could be another week before every ballot has been tallied. About 35,000 remain uncounted countywide. However, how many of those are from Escondido is unknown.

Councilwoman Marie Waldron easily won re-election to the other seat.

Also on Dec. 1 or Dec. 8, a fifth member of the council will likely be appointed to fill out the remaining two years of Abed’s council term.

An investment group led by Padre’s owner Jeff Moorad has purchased the Portland Beavers, the Padres’ Triple-A team. Moorad would like the club to play in Escondido in 2012 if the city builds a ballpark. It would go on property just east of Interstate 15 and south of state Route 78.

Critics have said the cost of the ballpark, which would be paid for with redevelopment money, is too high and Moorad’s group isn’t contributing enough. Proponents say the ballpark would likely spur redevelopment, as well as provide affordable family entertainment to the region.